What Is a Prep School? A Full Guide

A prep school is an independent school that prepares your child for entry into private secondary schools, offering a focused curriculum and extra support throughout their early education. 

If you're a parent considering different educational options, understanding prep schools can help you decide if this is the right path for your family. Many families look to prep schools for their small class sizes and strong academic programmes, which can give children more attention from teachers and help them succeed in future school entrance exams.

Prep schools often provide a wide range of extracurricular activities and an environment that helps children develop social skills and confidence.

Here, we'll cover everything you need to know about prep schools and why you might consider one for your child.

Understanding prep schools

Prep schools provide education mainly for children aged 7 to 13, focusing on preparing them for entry into selective secondary schools. These schools offer small class sizes, a broad curriculum and a strong emphasis on personal development and academic achievement.

Definition and purpose

A prep school, short for preparatory school, is a type of independent school designed to get pupils ready for entry into senior or independent secondary schools. Pupils usually join in nursery or reception and stay until they're 11 or 13 (leaving for year 7 or 9).

The main purpose of a preparatory school is to help pupils pass entrance exams, such as the 11+ and Common Entrance, required by many independent secondary schools and grammar schools. Prep schools often have a more flexible curriculum than the state primary sector and tailor learning to support academic, sporting and personal growth.

Prep schools have the resources and specialist staff available who can focus on building confidence, independence and good habits in children. These values help children thrive when they move on to their next school.

Key differences from other school types

Prep schools differ from state schools and public schools mainly in their admissions, curriculum and fees structure. They are part of the independent school system, which means they charge fees and are not funded by the government.

Unlike state primary schools, prep schools do not follow the national curriculum set out by the Department for Education. Instead, they design their own programmes, which can be broader and sometimes more demanding.

Senior schools often set entrance requirements that prep schools help pupils get ready for. Some prep schools act as feeder schools to elite independent secondary schools and grammar schools, while state primary schools rarely have this direct link.

The prep school curriculum

The curriculum in prep schools is broad and tailored to prepare children for selective secondary education. Unlike state primary schools, which follow the national curriculum, prep schools have more freedom with what they teach. This allows for a blend of core subjects and extracurricular activities.

Key subjects include English, maths, science, languages, history and geography. Many schools add drama, arts, music and sports to encourage all-round development. Some prep schools, like Alleyn Court will have a forest school to engage students with outdoor learning and nature.

Importantly, prep schools set up their curriculum to prepare children for entrance into, and performance at, prestigious secondary schools. Prep schools that go up to year 6 will prepare children for the 11 Plus exams, while those that go up to year 8 will support prep for the Common Entrance exam.

Key aspects of prep school life

Prep schools focus on academic rigour, personal growth and a wide range of activities. They are tailored towards preparing children to both successfully enter and perform well as prep schools, but they also offer educational experiences that go beyond preparation for their next school.

Admissions and fees

The requirements for admissions to prep schools will vary by school, but they tend to include common themes. Most schools will require you to visit with your child and meet the headteacher and/or academic staff.

Some schools require your child to attend a formal assessment day, which usually includes a mix of academic tests, interviews and group activities. Some non-selective schools don't do this. You'll receive an offer letter well in advance of your child starting school, which you'll need to accept.

How you pay your prep school fees will depend on the school you choose, and many will include registration and admission fees. Some prep schools have a scholarship programme for children with special talents or those who aren't in a financial position to pay school fees, offering extra opportunities to excel.

Specialist teaching and academic support

Prep schools offer small class sizes and a high teacher-to-student ratio. Subject specialist teachers often lead classes in core subjects such as maths, science, foreign languages and the arts. This means your child receives expert guidance and support in each area.

A thematic curriculum is common, allowing your child to explore links across subjects and develop core transferable skills such as problem-solving and communication.

Extracurricular and co-curricular opportunities

Prep schools offer a broad variety of extracurricular and co-curricular activities. Your child can join clubs such as music, drama, coding or debating, or participate in team sports. Many schools have impressive sports halls, music tuition and excellent sports facilities.

Weekly forest school sessions are popular, giving children a chance to explore outdoor learning. Opportunities also include school trips, arts and crafts or language clubs. These programmes are designed to nurture interests and talents outside the classroom and help develop well-rounded pupils.

The prep experience at Alleyn Court

Alleyn Court is a co-educational preparatory school that educates children up until year 6, at which point they will join prestigious secondary schools. Our leavers gain entrance into a range of prestigious independent and grammar schools including Brentwood, Royal Hospital School, Southend High Schools for Girls and Boys and King Edmunds.

Our mission is to support our pupils in becoming curious, courageous and compassionate. We use the Montessori method of guided learning to encourage our students to find their own way in the world and empower them to make good choices.

The curriculum on offer at Alleyn Court includes an enriching forest school experience, as well as a strong extra-curricular focus on the arts, sports, computing and humanities. This complements our core subjects of English, maths and science, where we use the innovative power maths approach, teach science from nursery onwards and provide a vast library of reading resources.

We cap our class sizes at 20, ensuring children get the individualised attention they need to develop. Teachers can more thoroughly address any challenges they have and help encourage them to develop skills and confidence.

Frequently asked questions

Prep schools have different entry ages, goals and experiences; fees can also vary widely. Knowing the differences between types of schools helps you make informed choices about your child's education path.

Who is the typical candidate for enrolment in a preparatory school?

Prep school can benefit many different children. Pupils often have parents who want a strong academic start, small class sizes and a focus on preparing for entry into selective secondary schools. Most prep schools offer extra support for gifted pupils as well as those with special educational needs.

What is the distinction between a preparatory school and a traditional high school?

Preparatory schools in the UK usually cover the years before pupils start secondary school. Usually, children will join in nursery or reception and continue until they leave at age 11 or 13. They are designed to get pupils ready to transition smoothly to selective secondary education, often through entrance exams.

Traditional secondary and high schools begin with pupils at age 11 or 13 and continue through the GCSEs or equivalent exams. In short, prep schools primarily focus on younger students and readying them for senior schools. High schools provide secondary education and qualifications after prep.

At what educational stage does prep school typically commence?

Prep school in the UK usually starts at nursery or reception (pre-prep) and continues until age 13. By the end of prep, pupils are generally ready to take entrance exams for their chosen secondary or independent senior schools.